Torch



(No Model.)

J. A. M PHERSON.

- TORCH.

No. 299,411. Patented May 2'7, 1884..

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"UNITED STATES JAMES A. MOPHERSON, OF BRUNSWICK, NEW YORK.

TOR CH.

5PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 299,411, dated May 27,1884.

Application filed December SI), 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. MoPHERsoN, a resident of Brunswick, in thecounty of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Torches; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, andtotheletters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof thisspecification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in torches; and it consists inproviding a torch frame or staff with a single arm, one end of n the thelatter being pivoted to one end of the former, and adapted to supportupon its swinging end a torch-bowl loosely suspended therefrom at apoint or points above its center of gravity, also with a link by whichthree or more frames may be fastened together, and in forming the arm,link, and pivot-socket of a single piece of wire.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a swinging torchattached to a frame or staff by a single arm in such a manner that thetorch-bowl will always assume a vertical position in whatever positionthe staff is held; second, to provide a hook-link or its equivalent ator near the torch-bearing end of the staff, for stacking three or moretorches in a manner similar to that in which muskets are stacked; third,to provide a pivoted torchbearing arm, pivot-socket, and stacking-link,all made from a single piece of wire, thereby cheapening theconstruction of torches.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation. Fig. 2 shows a modifiedform. Fig. 3 is a plan view of three torches andframes stacked together.

A represents a torch-bowl, provided with one or more tubes and wicks, E,for illuminating purposes, and with a link, a, adapted to receive andswing upon the hook bat the end of arm 0, which arm is pivoted upon thestaff or frame B by means of the socket G and pin or mandrel P, driveninto the end of the staff, as shown by the dotted lines.

sition of the bayonet.

The socket G, as shown in Fig. 1, is composed of several coils of thewire, which forms the arm 0 at one end and at the other thelink D, whichlatter serves to fasten the torches together when it is desired to stackthem. Instead of wire, sheet metal or any desired material may be usedto form arm 0, socket G being formed by bending one end upon itself andriveting it, as shown in Fig. 2, in which only the upper portion of thetorch is shown.

The link D would be preferably made of a separate piece, as shown, andpivoted upon pivot P; or it may behung from staple a, driven into thestaff, as shown.

Torches such as I have described are principally used in parades duringpolitical campaigns, and carried by the staff in'the same manner asmuskets are carried in military parades, the torch occupying therelative po- It is important, therefore, not only that the torch-bowlshould be arranged to assume a vertical position in whatever positionthe staff is carried, but that the construction should be simple, light,and cheap, rather than heavy and durable, their use heinglimited to avery short period. It is also important that some attachment-such aslink D, or its equivalent-should be provided, by which the torches canbe stacked in triplets, like muskets, as shown in Fig. 3, therebypreventing the necessity oflaying the torches upon the ground when theowner is at rest or temporarily off duty, when they are likely to betipped over, lost, or broken, as frequently happens. By employingasingle supportingarm passing through a link attached to the centralportion of the top of the torch-bowl, the whole of the bowl and contentsare below the point of support, and a vertical position is more quicklyassumed and readily maintained, and less material is required inconstruction than when two arms are employed, as has been the practiceheretofore. As the supporting-arm 0 projects to one side of the pivot Pwhen the staff is in a vertical position, any revolution of thestaffwhen in an inclined position will not change the position of thesupporting-arm or the torch-bowl.

The torches may be stacked in any desired manner; but I prefer toconnect two torches by the links D, cross the staves B, and insert athird torch-stall between the links and the crossed staves in such amanner that the con' nected links will rest upon the arm 0 of the thirdtorch, the link of the latter projecting out away from the connectedlinks, as shown in Fig. 8.

By employing only one supporting-arm 0, instead of two, I can pack manymore torches in a given space for shipment in supplying the trade.

I am aware of Patent No. 188,382, of October 17, 1876, and I do notclaim the construction shown in said patent, for the reason that in myinvention I employ simply a single pivoted arm from which the torch issuspended by a pivot at its top, wherehyitisalways held in a verticalposition, while in the patent above referred. to is shown an arminserted into the shaft and then connected by a screw- 20 joint to atwo-prong fork to which the torch is attached by side pivots, whichmakes the device more complicated and expensive than in the constructionof my torch.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a torch, the combination of the staff, the single lampsupportingarm projecting to one side of the stall and twisted to form an staif toform a swivel, and a lamp pendent from the projecting end of said arm,substantiall y as and for the purposes described.

2. A single torch-supporting arm, 0, co1nposed of wire bent to form thesocket G and link D, both integral therewith, in combination with pin 1and staff B, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. A torch staff or handle having a lampsnpport pivoted thereon, incombination with a torch-lamp and a connecting-link, by which two ormore torches are linked together when stacked, substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

4. A torch-bowl provided with a central projecting link on its uppersurface, by which it is suspended from a pivoted support, in combinationwith said support and the staffer handle upon which the support ispivoted, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this .ltlh day ofDecember, 1883.

JAMES A. MQPIIEHSON.

Witnesses:

Geo. A. lfosnnn, \V. H. lloLLis'rnn, Jr.

